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tendency to be ashamed of the shams of the civilization he helps to sustain . But one is inclined to exclaim with Sir Peter Teazle , after an oration from the Goughis and Carlisles , " Oh , d- n your sentiments , sir ! " Lord Carlisle , as lecturer , preaches pure principles ; and as peer and statesman he serves as the frightful example to his text . The inconsistency with which he acts , and of which very likely he is ashamed , is the punishment for not contenting himself with the scutcheon of the Ho wards .
What has Lord Carlisle ever done ? Nothing ! That is so startling aft answer to such a question about so popular and so amiable a man , that it is necessary , with the deliberateness which may provoke inquiry , to repeat-Nothing . For Lord Carlisle has been a Whig , as well as a Philanthropist : has been a subordinate Whig ; and has gone in and out , up and down , with his party , —which , for twenty years , his time , has been a party without principles , without a policy , without a result . A man of talent would not , during this time , have been a
subordinate Whig ; if a Whig at all , he would have annihilated Whiggery . More ; a noble honest man , acting his speeches , would not have been a subordinate Whig during this time . As tirailleurs thrown out to skirmish , Lord Carlisle was not bound to be artillery too ; but no man would serve in the light companies for . ever , if he found the heavy companies never came up to fight . Lord Carlisle should not consent to talk his magnificent generalities if he found that his party would never allow him to work them out in practical government . The matter may be put this
way : no candid English politician would talk Liberalism , because England holds an empire together by the principles of despotism ; and no rightminded English nobleman would talk poetic speeches because English noblemen are individuals inaclass conspiracy to delude , degrade , and plunder a generous people . Yet , as said before , Lord Carlisle has such fine tendencies , —has so clearly the volo , that he is only to be blamed or pitied , for the 11011 valeo , —for the want of energy , which -would give him something more than his popularity as an amiable man , —would constitute him a power , as a forcible man . It may be said , that every man "who understood the Corn-law question , and was a Protectionist , was a grosslv dishonest
man ; and that Lord Carlisle understood the question , and had weakly participated in the dishonour of continuing the Corn Laws , he evidenced when , in 1846 , he at last broke out in a half mournful , half indignant , confession of shame and sorrow . He was only two or three days before the rest of the Whig party , but he was first . Whether his party would have permitted him or not , he would , in 1846 , have renounced Protection : and that portion of his biography may be referred to , to show that he would , if he dare , act the sentiments he pours out at public dinners find " interesting occasions . " Various opportunities are , at this moment , offered him to be bold : ind honest . Will he tell us his convictions
about Lord Aberdeen , —the convictions impressed Upon him during his recent visit to Constantinople . Will he , in due time , step out of and before his class , as in 1846 , to declare his " sentiments" on Parliamentary Reform ? Asa liittiratcnr Lord Carlisle has not won the position which would justify his renunciation of the prestige of a Howard ; but there would still be a beneficent career for him , would ho but attempt to reconcile Lord Carlisle , the statesman ,
with Lord Carlisle , the lecturer : in that way he would . share the fame of the Howards by surpassing the Silkies and the Graffs , who can only t'lllv and cniniot govern . For , his order is to be re-created powerful , —to be rendered something more than a caste of hereditary bureaucrats , clerks , and red tapists—not by the nobles being small authors , and graceful lecturers , but by the great nobles being great , men—leaders , as the Jiarons ¦ were , of the- people : like the Barons , keeping their places .
t That however may not bo of much use , if there * n » i fate which , in modern times , seems . to forbid the grout noble ever turning out a great man . The tendency to Hmall books and nice lectures may exint , simply becauao the writers and the lecturers follow their instincts , and are fit for nothing else . Observing which , the governed classes may consider well whether or not , in the coming electoral rcan-angeinents , the Governing Clauses arc worth "Hi monopoly they will ask for . Non-Elector .
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THE STATE SETS A "MORAL- EXAMPLE " IN JAIL-SQUARE , GLASGOW . I Taxk of the credulity of the multitude , of the dreams of Utopians , and the infatuation of sects , what credulity is there like that of our philosophical , progress-prating , civilization-pretending English Government , who get up hanging spectacles in the open day , in the nineteenth century , in the firm belief that they carry a moral example j with them ? We turn from Dublin Exhibitions , I from self-made King Dargans , and the general emblazonment of science , to stare at the stark
| fatuity of Spirit-Rapping , and the progress of Mormonism : but why this affected astonishment at what casual and neglected men will believe , when we see what special , official , and well-informed men do believe ? Why should not philosophy have its aberrations , and science its stupor , and the mob its hobby , while the Parliament of England believes in the morality of public strangulation ? Why should not the Yankee backwoodsman , or the English farmer , believe in Joe Smith , while Lord Palmerston believes in Jack Ketch ? The Book of Mormon is at least as true
as the Gallows , and the prophet of Nauvoo quite as respectable a public instructor as the professor of the Noose . The old dame opens her school—the scrap of paper in the window or the bellman in the street announces the fact—but right tardily come the . scholars in . The schoolmaster sends his enticing circular round , or tries an advertisement in the newspaper ; the number of his pupils , however , seldom raises him to the dignity of being noted for the Income-tax . The popular lecturer draws up his elaborate syllabus ; he proposes to talk up
everything at once , and to make men wise in one night ; still the audience are scarcely numerous enough to pay the bill-sticker . The Professor stands up in the University Hall—he has given his own health for his rare erudition , and he is ready to lead the noble youth of our land into the . kingly realms of learning . Judging from the small number who attend his lecture , you come to the conclusion that the said " noble youth " would rather not go . But set Calcvaft on the scaffold , witli orders to lecture on Death—give him a Murderer for an experiment , and lie can summon an audience M-hich . outnumbers all that
the wit , or dignity , or seduction of learmnghoou can elsewhere gather together . When the Government keep School , the whole town attends . How is it , while anxious emulation and the natural thirst for knowledge can send no crowd to the Tutor ' s desk , that crime rushes up to its morning lesson ? What can be the moral charm of the rope over the pen ? How does it happen that Ketch is the king of teachers ? " Moral examples" are always dull ; " salutary influences "
are commonly found tedious , even to the bestregulated , minds . The success does not lie in the Pedagogue . We have the secret . It is in the docility and aptness of villany for the acquisition of virtue—a docility only known to Government . The gallows touches the heart of the hulks—the Sheriffs have witnessed the melting of that susceptible organ , and have reported the fact to the Home Secretary , who advises the continuance of executions .
An execution is a " moral example of peculiar efficacy over the soul of Larceny—that is why the Government continue it . It teaches a moral lesson which Burglary is apt to take . The Government are astute men , and they know it is ho . An execution has a " salutary influence " over Assault . The Government are practical men—they have ascertained the fact . When Helen Blackwood and Hans Smith Macfarlane were executed
in Glasgow , lately , I took the trouble , as before intimated , * to walk into the Salt-market and round Jail-square , to witness the magnificent public and moral lecture delivered by Professor Caleraft and the lawful authorities that morning . The wynds disgorged their livid inmates—the purlieus gave tip their rascals—the dens for a , few hours parted with their latent convicts—Crime , panting for improvement , rufjhed forth for itw moral matin edification . The scoundrel who had
struck his parent—the apprentice who had robbed his muster—tho husband who had maimed his wife — tho mother who had prostituted her daughters—pressed forward to receive the instruction of tho groat teacher . Tho drunkard , with his scorched llvor—the bully , with his blear eyes—? Vide article " Public Killing in UWow , " Leader , No . 178 ,
I the glutton , with his congested head—the miser I with his heart of ashes—Vice , with its putrid I limbs—flabby Licentiousness — infectioiis Diaj ease — the reckless and the despairing — the I gamester , the knave , the harlot , and thje j fool—were up betimes that morning , on vir-I tuous errand bent ! The fog was dense , the streets were muddy , the air was damp , the morning was chilly , but nothing deterred these ardent Votaries of moral improvement . The Government had designed the exhibition for their instruction , and they vrere grateful for it . Some had sat up all night , in order to be ready when the dr op fell ; some had walked all night to reach the gallows in time . A vile imitation of Rob Roy had lamed himself for life by leaping from a Bank window , to evade the police , but he had hobbled into town on this occasion . A northern Bill
Sykes had lost one eye by an . accidental blow from a life-preserver , in a recent highway robbery—but he had felt it his duty to embrace this opportunity , and to see what of the ethical spectacle he could , with what fragment of vision he had left . The " Artful Dodgers" of Glasgow filled up the interstices of the mob . The Old Fagins had considerately suspended ' their private lessons on this day , out of respect to the public one provided in Jail-square .
A full grown thief has just come up . He has distended lips , which like a double sponge spread themselves over his face . He could , and he would , suck the piece out of you with his Judas kiss . A returned convict , with high cheek bones and sinister eyes , elbows past you . Burglary and Murder are imprinted on his soul . He feeds upon the recollection . This morning he strides hastily through the seething throng ; he has risen thus early out of anxiety for a * ' moral influence . " You ' are roughly jostled by a short thick-set felon , who has even now a garotte in
his pocket for a victim . Returning home after fruitless watching , he has heard that a " moral example is to be set" at 8 o ' clock , and he is anxious not to be too late . So he hurries down , not even waiting to divest himself of the weapons of his profession . Such are the sacrifices men will make when happily and successfully inspired with a moral purpose . Caleraft has a mission to Scoundreldom , and every felon is abroad . Happy English Government , to have divined and preserved the secret of inspiring by such popular means earnest influences in the chain-gang nature !
Nothing happening before , at , or after the execution , disturbs the insane complacency or dense credulity of the Government as to the moral efficacy of these scaffold lectures . The audience await the app . enrance of the hangman , drinking-, swearing , and blaspheming ; our Government knows that that is their way of receiving moral instruction . They pick pockets under " moral influence "it is an evidence of their self-possession . " Thomas Chalmers" was pi * esent . lie lived in the New Vennel , whence Helen Blackwood and Hans Smith Macfarlane were taken , lie was their neighbour . He might be a thief , but Assault had at least slept in his breast , till Caleraft called out the sullen demon . He went home under the
influence of lawful " salutary example , " struck his wife on the head with a heavy billet of wood . The blood flowed copiously . He hod lately been treated to the sight of that in Jail Square . He took a knife and inflicted a gash on the woman ' s arm . The experiment did not seem to him perfect . Under the auspices of the Lord Provost , Sheriff , and Clergyman , ho had enjoyed the advantage of instruction in the use of the rope . He took one and endeavoured to strangle his battered and bleeding wife with it . I quote from
the details of a ease which a few days after the execution was brought up at the Glasgow Central Police Station , when Chalmers was sentenced to 00 daytf imprisonment . The topic . . this article scarcely needs further illustration . If authority , higii and low , well instructed in facts and moral experiences , still believe iu tho moral influence of tho Callows—who can wonder that the contagion of credulity extonds to tho people ? Robert Owen may stand excused for running after new and harmless follies , while Lord Palrnerston runs after-. and clinira to old and
criminal ones . While the illuHtrious members of the State bow down 'it the sluine of tho Scaffold , lot uh , for decency ' fl Mike , unsure with bated breath , tho vagaries of Mediums tuid Mormons . low .
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October 8 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 975
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 8, 1853, page 975, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2007/page/15/
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